Housing Advocate
Location: US, MN, St. Paul
Department: Early Head Start
Required education: Associate Degree

Company profile:
Community Action Partnership of Ramsey &amp; Washington Counties (Community Action) was established in 1964 as a program of the War on Poverty. Community Action Agencies became the service delivery arm of the Federal Office of Economic Opportunity. As the only continuously funded anti-poverty program in the country, our mission is to reduce poverty and its impact on people in Ramsey and Washington counties.Community Action is involved in grassroots public policy and community engagement activities, such as voter registration drives, legislative hearings, advocacy and education activities. 

Job description:
Job SummaryUnder the direction of the Early Head Start Manager, this position is responsible for supporting families enrolled in the Early Head Start Home Visiting program with their housing needs.  Duties include meeting with participants in their current living environment, assessing and identifying their needs and developing a plan to meet those needs.   Advocacy activities include assisting families in finding emergency shelter, landlord/tenant education and mediation, locating and showing properties, providing case management services, recording and reporting outcomes, and coordinating with other housing programs and support services to meet each family’s unique needs.Essential Functions (Not All Inclusive)Partner with families to assess their housing needs and develop a plan to meet those needs. Assist with housing searches and placement activities.Work with the family and assigned Home Visitor to develop a goal plan specific to the family’s needs and resources.  Monitor progress towards goals and support the family in becoming self-sufficient.Provide and document advocacy activities on behalf of participants.  Assist in achieving and sustaining self-sufficiency.Maintain a quality customer service process for crisis intervention and educate participants on payment plans, county assistance, and additional resources.Partner with the Early Head Start Registered Nurse to support the family’s public health needs as related to their living conditions.Provide families with accurate and complete information about community resources, and assist and advocate for them in accessing services to best meet identified needs. Maintain required documentation of referrals and outcomes.Assist in developing and facilitating parent groups and workshops.Develop housing resources and relationships with landlords, area housing consortiums, and state agencies.Assist families with legal issues such as eviction notices and unlawful detainers.  Attend court with families when appropriate.Establish and maintain collaboration with other Community Actions services, emergency service providers and community resources to better meet the participant’s basic needs.Attend staff meetings, other meetings, workshops and program-specific training sessions when appropriate. 

Requirements:
QualificationsAA Degree in Human Services or related degree and 2 years of experience working with children and/or families in diverse communities, or an equivalent combination of education and experience to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.  Bachelor’s Degree preferred. Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation on a daily basis required.Must have the ability to relate to and communicate effectively with a variety of multi-ethnic and socio-economic groups and/or individuals, including non-English speaking families.Strong record keeping, writing skills and computer proficiency required.Experience working in a home visiting setting highly desirable.Knowledge/experience in case management and housing resources advocacy preferred. Knowledge of low-income housing arena preferred.Must be able to navigate and enter data in a complex database.Must be able to lift 50 lbs, climb stairs and navigate in the community.Knowledge of Head Start preferred. 

Benefits:
Benefits: Community Action offers excellent benefits including generous paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, health, dental &amp; life insurance, retirement, employee discount programs and more.Salary:   $19.02/Hr;  $19.50/Hr. - Bilingual  Languages:         Karen preferred Schedule:            M-F, 40 Hours/Week, Full Year                                EEO/AA/ADA Employer